It's not necessarily the news anyone who shivered through yesterday will want to hear, but hard frosts are set to continue today and tomorrow.
Several southern spots - Queenstown, Wanaka, Alexandra, Balclutha and Dunedin Airport - all experienced their coldest morning of the year yesterday.
MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey said he doubted the low temperatures experienced yesterday would fall further today but ''it's still going to be freezing''.
The good news? Temperatures in the South should become warmer as the week goes on.
Oamaru had its coldest morning of the year on Saturday, when the temperature dropped to -6.3degC.
In June, Queenstown had three -7degC days in a row but yesterday ''beat it by a whisker'', when -7.4degC was recorded, Mr Glassey said.
The -3.6degC in Balclutha yesterday morning was lower than a -3degC recorded last month.
And Alexandra's -8.6degC temperature yesterday was lower than a -8.3degC low recorded last month.
Most of the coldest temperatures yesterday were recorded between 8am and 9am, he said.
''On a cold clear night, the minimum temperature occurs just after sunrise.''
Driver and son rescued from harbour
The frosty conditions were said to be a factor in several Dunedin car crashes yesterday.
Port Chalmers station officer Glenn Holland said a car went into Otago Harbour after hitting black ice on Port Chalmers Rd, near Blanket Bay, about 4pm.
A mother and her young son were in the car. Members of the public assisted the boy from the car and firefighters from Port Chalmers and Willowbank Stations cut the woman's seatbelt and removed the windscreen so she could exit the vehicle.
''They were lucky the tide was out,'' Mr Holland said.
The mother and son were uninjured but were in shock, he said.
Senior Sergeant Steve Larking, of Dunedin, said part of Port Chalmers Rd was closed and a diversion using Blanket Bay Rd was in place for about an hour.
Acting Senior Sergeant Ian Temple, of Dunedin, said a car went out of control after sliding on ice on Marne St about 8am.
The car entered the harbour when the tide was low. The driver was uninjured and an ambulance was not required, he said.
Snr Sgt Temple urged motorists to take care and to drive to the conditions.
Police attended ice related crashes in Queen St, George St and Rattray St between 8am and 10am yesterday.
A Fire Service spokesman said a car hit a pole on the Tarras Cromwell Rd, near Tarras, about 1pm yesterday. The driver was not hurt.
Feeling chilly?
Minimum temperatures recorded yesterday.
• Alexandra: -8.6degC
• Dunedin Airport: -7.5degC
• Queenstown: -7.4degC
• Wanaka: -6.7degC
• Oamaru: -5.4degC
• Balclutha: -3.6degC
• Dunedin City: 0.9degC
